Semur-en-Auxois
A fortified town on a pink granite spur, looped by the river Armançon and guarded by great towers.
- Heritage site
- 1 h 06 from Beaune
- Allow 2 to 3 hours
- Semur-en-Auxois
€230one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Official website
- terres-auxois.fr
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 1 h 06 by road (84 km), €230 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the place
Semur-en-Auxois rises on a granite spur inside a tight bend of the river Armançon. Four massive towers survive from its medieval fortress, and a tall Gothic church stands at its heart. Seen from the bridges below, the old town makes a memorable picture.
What you will see
Walk in through the Porte Sauvigny to reach the church of Notre-Dame, with its octagonal spire 58 metres high. Inside, look for 16th-century windows showing drapers and butchers at work, and a late 15th-century Entombment. Outside, the north door tympanum tells the story of Saint Thomas. Then follow the ramparts to the Tour de l'Orle d'Or, 44 metres tall and split by a crack since 1602. End on the Pont Joly for the classic view of the town above the river.
History
Semur became the chief town of the Auxois in the 11th century, and Duke Robert II of Burgundy granted it a town charter in 1276. During the Hundred Years' War, Duke Philip the Bold strengthened its natural defences with walls, towers and a fortress called the Donjon. Loyal to the dukes, Semur resisted the French crown, and the troops of Louis XI occupied it in 1478. In 1602 Henri IV ordered the fortifications dismantled.
Work on the church of Notre-Dame began in 1225, on the site of an older priory. Viollet-le-Duc restored the church and the ramparts in the 1840s and 1850s. Semur has kept a horse race since 1639, the Course de la Bague, whose winner has received a gold ring since 1651. It is still run on 31 May along a straight course of 2,112 metres.
Planning your visit
Tips for your visit
Allow two to three hours for the old town and a riverside walk. Semur is about an hour from Beaune and combines well with Fontenay Abbey or the MuséoParc Alésia. Streets are steep in places, so wear comfortable shoes. Please check the official website for opening times.
Around here
What to combine with Semur-en-Auxois on the same day, nearest first.
- Tradition
Fête de la Bague
The race is run every 31 May, whatever the day of the week, amid about ten days of festivities in late May and early JuneSemur-en-Auxois
Questions
Semur-en-Auxois is about 1 h 06 from Beaune by road (84 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €230 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? The Tour de l'Orle d'Or has walls five metres thick at the base. The great crack running down its side opened in 1602, the year Henri IV ordered the town's defences taken down.
Sources
Semur-en-Auxois with a private driver
€230 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests